4-Days South Cebu and Cebu City Travel Guide & Itinerary

I’ve already been to Cebu City for our educational trip in 2013 and it got me the impression of “it’s just like Manila” with the traffic and crime rate so it’s really not on my top list to go in the Philippines. But when South Cebu towns of Oslob and Badian are making names in tourism department nowadays, I got attracted and curious to see more of Cebu aside from it’s city.

The downside of sale tickets is the time of flight. We arrived at 12 midnight in Cebu!

PLANE TICKETS

I got our plane tickets in Cebu Pacific 7 months (November 2015) before the flight (June 2016) for only 1,050 pesos round trip. It’s already a good buy but I’m pretty sure you can return tickets lower than mine. Cebu is always on P200 sale on Air Asia so keep an eye on that.

Sale tickets are only limited to less than 10 seats per flight so big groups are hard to book, plus some are real whiners and can’t decide instantly. So my tip is used the 24 hours reservation of your chosen airline company. With that way, you’ve reserved the tickets already while your group talked about it. If some of your friends back out, you can let your seat reservations be open to sale again after but be sure to monitor when it pops again on the website. The downside of this is that you need to pay cash.

A cheap way from Mactan Airport to the city.

TRANSPORTATION

Mactan Internation Airport TO Cebu City:

via MyBus shuttle service (25 pesos) Yes, it is way, way cheaper than any taxi ride! The bus trip starts at 7:00 AM until 9 PM and the endpoint will be at SM Cebu City. Guides and other routes for this myBus can be seen here. The buses are big and just like the ones abroad and very cheap. Very good Cebu, very good!via taxi (approx. 300-400 pesos) We arrived after midnight so we have no choice but to take the taxi to South Bus Terminal. But don’t worry, Cebuanos are kind and charming people. They won’t scam you but still, make sure that you’re paying via its meter. Also, they strictly implement overloading so one taxi can only accommodate 4 people.

AROUND CEBU CITY:

via taxi: Of course, this is the most convenient way for your DIY Cebu City tour but it is also the expensive one. One taxi driver offered us a trip to Tops or Temple of Leah for 1,000 pesos!

via numbered jeepneys: Cebu jeepneys are more organized than the one here in Manila. A respective number (and letter) has a corresponding route. This is cheaper than taxis but it’s inconvenient and time-consuming to look for the right jeepney to ride. You can check this out if you plan to do this.

via rented car: This is our travel hack to our Cebu City tour. It is convenient, fast and the most comfortable as well. We rented a Wigo for P2,000/24 hours in Safe Ride Car Rental. We were 5 in the group so I end up spending only P400 pesos with my Cebu City itinerary that includes Tops, Temple of Leah and Taoist Temple.

CEBU CITY TO NORTH/SOUTH CEBU:

Going north: If you want to go island hopping in Bantayan and Malapascua Island, you have to go to Cebu North Bus Terminal near the SM Hypermarket/ SM Cebu City. I think you can walk from SM Cebu City.Going south: But if you prefer to swim with the whale sharks and some canyoneering extreme adventure, then go to Cebu South Bus Terminal which is near Tamboan Market.

The tourist inn we checked in after our exhausting day in Badian

ACCOMMODATION

I’m that kind of traveler who doesn’t spend too much on accommodation (except when I decided to have an R&R) since I’m out exploring most of the time. I just need a place with a clean sheet and pillow to sleep on after a tiring day. I advise you to book 2 weeks or more before your travel dates to avail the cheaper but good rooms. We mostly book our hotels with Agoda. They have some from Oslob too.

**If you’re not tired from the travel south, you can go to Tumalog and Aguinid Falls after check-in. We got to talk to a local (contact no. 09495499623) that he can give it for P300/pax/ RT for the two falls. Also, if you are availing the Bluewater Sumilon Day Tour, skip the Oslob town proper and go there directly to enjoy your P1,500.

** I advised you to check-in in Carcar city instead of Badian so you’ll be just one bus away to Dalaguete early morning and can go to Osmena Peak then Simala church. I also heard Dalaguete has nice beach resorts.

This is my first trip without my parents and first with Paul as well so I’m very much on budget. I spent almost P7,500 all in on this trip and that is not bad at all with all the places and activities. I’m still in post-travel blues and already, I can’t wait to go back for some Mactan beach resort adventure or island hopping in Northern Cebu. See, I really did fall in love.

I have detailed blog posts of all the places we’ve been. You can check it out on my Cebu tag. (or just click here)

HEADING TO CEBU SOON?

Click the image on the left for a detailed island travel guide that will help you more.

OR HAVE BEEN ALREADY?

We can share tips, experience and guides in the comment section below!

Wow, you got really lucky on your plane ticket. 🙂 When I went to Cebu few months back I think our sale ticket cost us around 1700. So great catch for that! And another wow cos your itinerary is so detailed. Hahaha!

Last travel in Cebu is also a first time for me to go with just friends and w/out the parents. Hahaha! I do have an entry about that actually. 🙂 I hope you could read it too, para relate talaga tayo together. joke! I hope I could visit Oslob too, sa Bantayan kasi kami nagpunta. Anyway, nice entry you got here. 🙂

Hey, cool itinerary you have here… I am planning to have this as our itinerary as well when me and my friends visit Cebu soon next month Feb on a 4D3N trip. I just want to ask if the hotels you’ve stayed, you booked it early online or they all accept walk-in like a transient stay?

It’s all walk in but the one in Oslob, I called her a day before swinerte lang na may room. Its better to book a room in Oslob weeks before your tour kasi like our landlady said peak season whole year sa oslob.

Hi. Just like to ask some details coz im trying to fix our itinerary. Which is much better, going to sumilon for the island hopping or just go straight to badian for the cayoneering experience? Or we can have both for just a day?

My boyfriend and I will be spending my birthday in Cebu this year. I so envy your pictures under the water. Unfortunately, I cannot swim so we do not make itinerary that involves the sea. Our itinerary is not yet done. I am thinking of including the Temple of Leah when I saw how stunning it was on the internet. Thank you very much for the tips. It will be very useful to us.

Scored our Cebu ticket for 5200 for 4 in Air Asia last November. Can’t wait to travel this June!! Good thing I stumbled on your blog because this is really a great help for our DIY Cebu Trip. Thank you!!

Kudos on the hard work putting up this list. It’s definitely going to help many travelers with budgeting and planning their itinerary.
My family lives in Manila and I’m based in Cebu (currently). I’m glad I can just show this post to them as a neat package of all awesome things they can do in Cebu.

Sorry, ang taas ang comment ko.hahaha. Have fun traveling and keep up the good work blogging about your trips!

Hi! When you rented a car for your cebu city tour did you just go straight to safe ride car rental or contact them in advance?? Thank you for your cebu blog this really helps in making our itinerary too!

Great article, thanks for the tips! Indeed, Philippines is a beautiful archipelago of islands of adventures and getaways. Unfortunately, there is a large number of tourist targeted scams and safety concerns over here.

Hi, i would just like to seek your advise po where did you check in when you arrive in OSLOB?
We have the same detailed flight po kasi. Did the place allowed early check in? as usually 3PM ang regular time ng check in?
Thank you. Hoping for your response.

Hi,
I am planning to go Cebu in a month’s time with my friend. And i am intending to go swimming at Oslob with the whale sharks. Just checking, did you book the swimming with whale sharks with a tour group or would it be possible to just go to the area and make payment to swim with the sharks instead of going with a tour group?